Circular-knitting machine.



n. w. scm. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION ILE UEC. IQ I9I4. 1,272,865. Patented July 16, 1918.

4 SHEETS--SHEET Iy 7% I 40j .aan m H. W. SCOTT.

CKRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLlcAmN man D c.\9.1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET?.

Panama July 16, 191s.`

R. W. SCOTT.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLlcArlon man 0:12.19. m4.

Patented July 15,y 191s.

4 SMITS-SHEET 4 .nog

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pattern mechanism;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. SCOTT, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SCOTT & WILLIAMS, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

Application tiled December 19, 1914.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, Ronmrr 1V. Sco'rr, citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, in the county oi Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular-Knitting h'lachines, otl which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to circular knitting machines of the independent needle type, and particularly to such machines adapted Vl`or the ai'itomatic production ot articles of hosiery, such as stockings.

(`)ne object ot' my invention is to improve the operative capacities and thc mechanism of hosiery knitting machines of thc type disclosed and claimet in my applications Serial Number 746,070 tiled February 3, 1913 (Letters Patent No. 1,152,850, dated September 7, 1915) and Serial` Number'tAOl filed May 8, 1913 (Letters Patent No. 1,148,055, dated July 27, 1915). v

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan taken above the bed plate. and 'partly in horizontal section of a machine correspomling to my invention, the needle cylinder and attached parts being rcmoved Fig. El is a vertical section on a line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section illustrating some of the connections t0 the Fig. 4 is a diagranrplan view showingone i'orm ot the supplemental cams; y

I" ig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a typical set of indications carried by the pattern surface;

Figs. G to 13 inclusive are' diagrams ill|1s trating the operation of another form of the suplilelnental earn devices in cooperation with the needles and the jacks;

Fig. 14 is a detail illustrating two differ ent kinds of jacks;

Fig. 15 is a similar figure illust ating three different kinds of jacks; i

Fig. 1G is an internal devclollnnent of the cam ring, illllstrating one use o'l' jacks of two different kinds;

Fig. 17 is a silnilaryiew illustrating one use of jacks of three different kinds:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Serial No. 878,007.

Fig. 18 is a detail section en line 18-18 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 19 is a detail showing another form of cam for operating thc slide 2.

The construction and operation of thc nun-lune may be the same. as that disclosed in my said applications ext-cpt as below specified, and I havt,` not disclosed herein the means for supporting and driving the parts, for adjusting the length of stitch, for determining` rotary or oscillatory movcnient of the needle cylinder, for narrowing or widening the knit tube. or for handling, feeding, changing, cutting and clamping the yarn or yarns, except incidentally. While l have illustrated the parts mentioned below of the machine of my said prior aplilications, it will be understood without further explainition that the devices about to be described are applicable to existing machines of many dili'erent types. and that my invention is not restricted to the use of the device of the present application in the particular ma chine shown.

1n the said illustrative machine. a needle cylinder 26() is supported for limited vertical movement, upon a bearing ring 35T carried hy a tubular column 2SC). said cylinder resting upon pins L), l housed in vertical hores in a hevel gear to operated by a simi lar gear fast on a main shaft 32, Fig. ti.

Motion of the gear 30 is imparted to tht` cylinder 200 by a gib or key 252 carried ln an attachment of said gear. Said cylinder Q00 carries an attached weh-holder dial 2515 upon which rotates a \\'ebliolder cam cap 300, having attached thereto cams for operating independently movable welrholders 292 taking between needles u, which may have the usual operating butts, comprising longr butts nl and short. butts u2, tor the usual stocking knitting purposes.

The machine construction also comprises a latch guard ring 550 surrounding the heads of the rotating needles, a series of yarn changing varn guides F. and meansl for operating t1l1e"yaru guides and some other agencies of the machine consisting of a Series of thrust hars --lttl .in contact at their lower ends with a pattern surface 120.

Narroyving pickers (550, a widening picker 680 and internal yarn cutter, and `clamp mechanism 601 may form a part of the' machine but are no part of my present lnvention except as elements of the general comblnation for knitting stockings.

As set out in my said application Serial' No. 766,401 the machine i lustrated com-l prises means for beginning to knit upon needles bare of previous fabric, and for operating the needles when desired to withhold the loops last formed upon recurrent needles of the series, in order to knit fabric uponW the remaining needles to form an out-turned welt and certain other useful structures. In the said machine these operations are performed by mechanism separating the needles into two or more intercalated series and means for acting upon a set, of needles so separated to determine a movement different from the movement made by the needles of the other set. As disclosed in my said application the needles intended to withhold the loops, or to stand out of thc 0perative series when first receiving yarn, o1' to retain the loops over an intervening course or courses, were retracted by a supplemental cam 382 (Figs. 16 and 17) intd an idle groove 10, carrying the heads ot the needles below the place of supply 560 of the knitting yarn. Ihis movement was effected with respect to needles normally traveling at the tuck point z'. e. with their previous loops resting upon their opened latches and not cleared beneath said latches` Being without the provision of any means to clear the latches of selected needles only and to then retire said needles, said machine was incapable of operating a selected set of needles so as to cast off stitches once formed upon the needles, the casting-olfl means disclosed therein consisting of devices to remove the yarn from contact with all of the needles, during normal operation of the needles cleared at or near thestitch-making point.

I have now devised means for knitting in succession sections of plain fabric each containing the same number of needle wales, said means pfxifling for the continuity of the fabric whe le .the change is effected. Such fabrics may be characterized by needle wales of one section corresponding to sinker wales of another section, and the said means therefore enable the needles to be selectively operated upon so as to determine knitting upon some of them, said needles also being capable of actuation to withhold theirloops; and to determine knitting upon other needles, said other needles being capable of' being cle'arefl .and then retracted to cast oil' a previous loop, As will appear below I have also provided a machine of increased capacity with respect to the diferent kinds of fabi-iiI which may be formed automatically during a continuous operation or each operation of a succession of operations to produce, articles having said different kinds of fabric integrally formed in succession therein, the new devices adapting the said machine lto the formation of beginning selvages of a desired kind, to the production of a welt klt upon relatively as large a number of the needles as those knitting the attached and following fabric, and to the production of improved forms of uniting structure for the welt fabric and fabrics suitable for the tops or cutls of garments; .audio other improved functions. y

Referring now to Fig. 16 the machine is provided with`a top center cam 8 and a bottom center cam 9 carried by a cam ring 271. of which a segment 370 may Vbe removable. Said segment carries the usual stitch cams 6 and 7.

A switch caln 415 operating in connection with a fixed guard cam 411 is mounted for rotation on a radial spindle 410 carried in bracket 408, for the usual purpose of elevating series of needles having long butts 7N above the stitch cams during reciprocal knitting on the remaining needles, and for returning all of the needles to their normal level, which is that of the ledge 40.

Preceding the leading end of that stitch cam 7 first encountering the needles when the machine is'rotating for tubular work, the cam 382 of my said applications is pro- `fided to be radially moved into and out of contact with such needle butts as are traveling at a level to encounter it. When said cam is in contact with the needle butts they are retracted into the idle groove 10 under leading stitch cam 7 and under the 'bottom of said cam 9, all of said needles being returned at each passage of the cams by the slope 5 to the normal position vat the level of the ledge 40. i

In order to separate the needles, for instance into two intercalated series, certain of them are provided with inde endently movable jacks j, j, placed in tlie needle groove underneath the selected needle, said )acks having operating butts taking into a cam groove or grooves for movingr the selected needle from its normal level above a level in reach of the cam 382. The present machine is provided with two such grooves as shown at 364, 365, Fig. 16, and I may employ i n connection therewith a series of picks y* coperating with the upper groove 365 and a Series of jacks j cof'iperating with the lower groove 364.

The groove 365 is provided with a cam apex 36 preceding the location of the cam 382. Said groove is also provided with a depression 368 for a purpose presently to appear. The cam groove 364 is provided with a cam 366 eoperating with the butts of the Jacks j'. The apex of the cam 366 precedes by a considerable distance the apex 367. The jacks' j' are longer than the jacks jl, and the relative height of the cam 366 and the apex 367 is such that the needles provided with jacks j are elevated above their normal level to a height at which their latches are cleared through theii` previous loops, for instance to the same height as that attained by the advancing surfaces of the Stitch cams 6 and 'i'. Y

Needles rovided with jacks j* are advanced at tlie apex 367 through a lesser dis tance, for instance correspondi'n to a height midway between the normal iizvel of the needles and the height to which the needles are elevated to clear their latches.

Needles traveling at a normal level are in a position to be advanced .by the leading stitch cam 7 except when the cam E582 is insorted.

In that arrangement of the changeable jacks illustrated in Fig. 16 alternate lneedles are provided with jacks 71 and j, so that each needle has a jack. n the absence oi? the cam 382, the needles will be normally operated at the stitch cams, the jacks j cle rating the needles sufficiently to clear their latches at an early time, but having no other effect.

lhen cam 382 is inserted the needles having the jacks jl will be retired into the idle groove beneath the bottom center cam without having been advanced to clear their latches.

Cooperating with the needles and with the jacks there are additional sulmlemental cams 2 and 2" removably screwed to the T shaped head of a substantially radi-.1l slide 2, which coacts with means again mentioned below to move said slide inward to a .greatcr or less distance. The cam 2" extends downwardly from a point following the liuc oi' movement caused hy the jacks j and cam 366, in order to depress such needles as cnconnter it beneath the level ot tluledge 40 into a depression 11 of thc cam ring and into a position at which said needles will not encounter an advaiu-iingsurface at the stitch cams but` will pass into the idle Igroove. Needles which have been advanced by a jack j and have therefore cleared their loops will, upon encountering cam 2 thus bc de- )ressed to cast. olf their previousl loops, for instance at the lower apex ot the cani 7.

The cam 2" is an advancing cam of sutiicicntlieight to encounter nccdlcs moving at a level of the ledge 4t) and to advance tht-ln above the cam 382, but said cam 2l is insuiliciently high to encounter needles travoling at a lcvcl attained by thost` moved by the jacks Needles which are provided with jacks j. when the cam 2" is in an operative position, while they are depressed b v thc cam 2, are again advanced by the cam 2", passed over the cam 382, if it should be in an operative position, to then enter the stitch cams and nit normally.

It will be seen that with the cams 382, 2*, 2b out of contact with the needle butts, all of the needles will enter the cams and knit; when thc cam 382 alone inserted to an operative position the needles having the jacks y" will be depressed beneath the stitch cams, without havin' cleared their loops, at each revolution, an( when the cams 2 and 2b are in an operative position needles pro vided with the jacks j will cast off their previous loops while needles provided with the jacks j1 will enter the cams and knit. lVhen the cams 2a and 2* are operative, the Cam 382 is out` of possible Contact, with any of the needle butts and may be removed without effect upon the operation.

The machine is provided with means for independently moving the cam 382, and the slide 2 and attached parts 2 and 2h substantially radially with respect to the needle cylinder at. the desired times. lt will be understood without t'lnyther description that a great variety of operations may he pci'- liormed, depending upon the particular ar rangement of thc jacks jl, j and the particular order of actuation of the cams 38;). and the compound cam made up of the cams 2a and 2l. For instance, in order to knit one of the fabrics illustrated in my Letters Patent No. 1,113,166, dated October (3, 1914, which product briefly comprises a stocking ol' sock having a welt, an attached mock-rib top and thc usual leg, heel, foot and toe, the welt fabric having as many wales of knit loops :is the attached fabric, and a Structure at thc junction ot the welt` and the attached fabric of improved strength and elasticity, the needle and jack arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1li is preferable. The operation may begin` on the bare needles, and for this purpose the cam 382 may be inserted prior to the feeding oi' any yarn for the beginning of a new article, thereby permitting the needles with long jacks j to pass through the knitting camls, in a position to take the new yarn when fed from the yarn feed throat 560, the said active needles traveling in thc groove between the top center cam S and the cotton] center cam 9. ',lhe alternate needles provided with the short jacks y" pass in the idle groove 10 under the cam t). Said needles with short jacks will 'not' be advanced 'far enough to passabove thc down going face of the cam The initial yarn having been Jed to the necdlcs, and placed under stress and restraint with respect to their knitting movement at, the cams (i, 7 and t4, in thc same manuel' as disclosed in my lntcntl No. 1,094,347, April 21, 1914, reissued No. 13,752 dine 1G, 1914, (as by timing.,lr the operation ofktlhe web-holders 292, for instance by the means described and claimed in my said application Serial No.

766,401) the second course normally taken by the needles will now be drawn alternately in front of and behind the first course, to make a selva e structure such as that illustrated in my atent No. 1, 045,621 dated November 26, 1912, and in my said reissued Letters Patent No. 13,752.

The laying of the second course on all the needles may be accomplished by withdraw ing the cam 382.`

This withdrawing movement may be in two stages, the'first stage removin the cam during the passage tpast it of the ong butt needles n to a position to run off the end of the series of longr butt needles, and the second movement occurring before the long butt needles have again reached the cam.

The fabric for the Welt is now to be knit upon one :series of the needles, those with long jacks ja, while th other series pass the stitch cams at each course in the idle groove 10 while retaining withheld loops to unite the beginning of the welt to the attached fabric. These loops are to be withheld from the second or a following course. 'The withdrawal of the cam 382 having permitted all of the needlesl to take yarn, and established a second course at least once around the. entire sel of needles, said cam mayv now be reinscrted to cause the short jack needles affected by it to withhold theirloops. The operation to withhold loops may begin at the leading needle nl having a long butt n1, and for sonic articles it is not detrimental thus` to twice include the long or the short butt needles among the entire series of needles nl and n2 knitting previously to the beginning of the welt. For instance, refer ring to Fig. 4 of my said Patent 1,113,166, loops may be withheld from the second course on all of the long butt needles, and from the third course on all of the short butt needles, all of the needles having taken yarn and made admitting movement during one and one-l1alf revolutions of the needle cylinder. l o forming the course of loops withheld on recurrent needles economizcs movement of the cams. The cam 382, having been moved out to 4position II, Fig. 4 to run oft the end of the long butts, permitting the short butts 'n' all to knit, is then moved out to position l o permit the loup; butts (and at the next passage the short butts) to knit; and is then moved in t0 osition 1I prior to the second passage o the long butts to begin the withholding of loops at the. leading long butt short jack needle nl, moving all the way in to position III prior to the passage of the short butts. Movement. of cam 382 is thus made in two stages Il and III in advance of its position of rest I.

The welt fabric is now knit to the desired extent upon the needles provided with jacks j without again disturbing the cams.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 16 these needles are not capable of being retired into the idle groove 10 while holding their loops,

'the action 0f the jacks j being such as to he welt is now completed by knittin a uniting course upon all the needles. Tiis is accomplished by the same adjustment as for the course of Withheld loops, z'. e. by Withdrawing the cam 382 in two stages, to permit the leading short butt and the following series of long butts to knit at least one course of fabric havin needle,7 loops taken at each needle. Such oops as are formed on the short jack needles penetrate end cast oil' the withheld loops of the second or third course by which the beginning edge of the welt has been held at the needles during the preceding operation, thus joining the beginning of the Welt to the end thereof and to the subsequent fabric.

In a great man v situations, for instance for tops or cutis of garments, or for a Welted garment, of which all parts shall be capable of like lateral stretching. it is desirable to have all parts of the fabric of' mlatively the same number of wales in width. Having, in order to retain the beginning edge of the Welt, retired certain needles, and having restored them to action for a uniting course or courses, I noa' retire empty a number of needles, preferably those engaged in forming the welt, to enable the knitting of attached fabric upon the remaining needles only. It will not ordinarily be objectionable to follow the uniting course taken on all of the needles, With a` course or courses taken on all of the needles, noi will it be objectionable to knit an additional course upon the short butt or the long butt needles only. At the part of the fabric occupied by said needles, knitting of the uniting course may therefore be accomplished simply by removing cam 382 as before to run ott' the end the long butt series and again inserting said cam after their next passage. This will permit the short butt needles having the jacks jl to knit twice. The arrangement is now the same as duringr the knitting of the welt, and fabric upon those needles having long jacks j only may now be formed to a desired ex# tent, the needles having short jacks jl again holding all of their loops. The purpose of the fabric being knit upon the long jack needles is to fasten ott' wales which are about to be sup ressed, prior to retiring the long jack need es after casting oft' their last loops during knitting of a part or all ot the subsequent fabric.

To resume knitting on the short jack needles and cast oft' on the long jack needles the slide 2 is inserted, its down-going incline 2 carrying the needles with the long jacks llt into the depression 11 and under cams 7 and 9 after their loops have been cleared beneath their latches. The cam 2h operates at the same time to mask and render ineffective the action of the cam 382, the short jack needles now rising at apex 367 in time to encounter the advancing face of said ealn 2", and thence. going into the stitch cams to knit. Movement of slide 2 and cams 2 and 2 for these purposes is in two stages Il and III, Fig. 4, in advance of a )osition of rest I.

One effect of casting-off the terminal stitches of wales knit by the long-jack needles is illustrated in Fig. 5 of my said Patent, No. 1,112,166, the natural curl forward of the fabric toward itsnvrong side, which is that lying upward at the needles, being then permitted to carry the loops cast off forward over the heads of` the needles upon which said loops were formed whenei er said needles are withdrawn into the idle groove '10. Since the needles so operated recur among the other short-jack needles noW knitting, such movement forward of the terminal loops of the wales cast off will cause said loops to stand between the active needles,.there to be tied down by the new yarn knit by the intervening short-jack needles. The terminal loops are thus passed forward toward the face of the fabric, to be frictionally held between sinker wales of the fabric knit by the needles having short jacks.. This operation is aided by the movement of the Web-holders above referred to, which is a withdrawing movement taking place after all or a part of the movement of the needles down the slope 8 of cam E, the.

east-oli' loop following the retirinr webholder through the gap in the needles just prior to the knitting movement of the needles of the other (short-jack) series.

In order to adapt the machine devices to the making of structures begun and ended upon the same adjacent or near-by pair ofr needles, for instance 'upon the first or leading long bult .needle nl of the series fn? and thelast or following short, butt/needle n2 of the series ,a2 respectively, I yhave illustrated means to prevent` camtlzA from acting on ille long buttl needles asecond time after its insertion lo move all'of the needles with short jacks once only. One ldevice. for this purpose, illustrated in Figs. G to 13, comprises an elongated cam .,2, so positioned with respect to the slide 2 of the camas to enable cam 2b o encounter and advance the long butt needles when the4 slide 2 is m a )osition in which the depressing member 2 1s still outof contact with `the'needles.

Referring now to said yllgures, which also illustrate conventionally the arrangement of the jacks jl and j with respect tothe needles, Fig. (i illustrates the positionv of the cams 382, 2a and 2h when yarn is first given to the needles to initiate lknitting. The needles provided with the short jacks jl, beginning with the leading long butt needle al are shown as beginning to pass down the face of m1111382 which, during the first passage of the long butt needles u will move into the position shown in Fig. 7 so as to affect the short butt needles. Fig. T illustrate.-` the position of the, devices after movement substantially of one whole revolution of the needle carrier at the beginning of a course taken by all of the needles. During the second passage after beginning to feed varn of the short butt segment past the faces of cams 2"L and 2, said cams are moved inward tothe position shown in said iglue thereby to engage the cam 2* under the leading long butt needle nl" havilngT a jack j. The needleshaving jacks js, it will be understod, were passed above the level of cam 2" or cam 3F52 at a point corresponding lo tie jack ram 368. The etl'ect of the ram 2" is to restore the short-jack long butt needles to knitting, to form a course on all of the needles beginning at the leading long lutt needle n1". During the passage of the long butt needles,

A the cam 382 having been rendered ineffective by the presence of c m 2", may be removed to the position showI in Fig. 8, whereupon the/'short butt needles will pass across the face of the cam 382, up' the slope Ta of the leading stitch cam 7, and into the stitch cams. When the last short butt needle n2 has so moved into the cams. one complete course on all of the needles will have. been formed. It is now desired to begin making a welty upon the needles having long jacks only.

,The cam 2h having served its purpose of taking the long butt needles onlv over the cam 382, will be removed after thi'e first pas` the ncdles (Figs. 7 and 8) need not be` changed, the can: remaining as shown in Fig. 8, to engage and take down all the long butt needles having short jacks jl, again beginning at needle nl.

During the rst passage of the long butts caml 382 will be moved all the way in as indicated by the arrow thereon in said F ig. 8, and furthe remainder of the welt no further change in the adjustment of the cams is necessary.

Enough fabric having been knit noon the needles `with long jacks, during the retention of the Withheld loops by the needles with short jacks passed beneath the stitch cams by cam 382 it is now desired to begin the niting course upon the same needle nl as that upon wfhich theknittlng was initiated and the changes instituted for the prior 0perations. The uniting course being a course` taken upon all of the needles, cem 2" is now positioned `as shown in'Fig. 9 during the passage of the short butts. This position and its effect is the same as that described in connection with Fig. 7. Sutiicient fabric having been knit (usually one course, although I may if desired knit several courses at this point on all the needles) knitting is now to be resumed upon the same (long jack) needles as were employed in the welt. to lock the fabric from ravelmg back and releasing the uniting course. This operation is the same as that for the welt, and the cams will therefore again be positioned as shown in Fig. 10.

It is now desired to cast oli' the terminal loops correspondingr to the wales of the welt fabric, to retire the needles upon which the welt was formed, and to continue the fabric upon the remaining needles. 'l`he cams 2 and 2" are therefore operated to cast ott' the terminal loop in the courses` last knit and to cause knitting in all the wales containing loops withheld ou the needles havingl short jacks. This` is done by moving in the cams 2 and 2" during the passage of the short butts far enough to engage dcprcssing surface 2" with the leadin, r long butt long jack needle. (Fig. ll) which having been cleared by its jack, casts its loop upon being suliicienthr retracted. for instance at, the lower apex of the cam i'. s shown in Fig. 11, cam 2" may be entered upon the needles in the position there shown and then moved all the way in, lo atl'ect the short butts, to the position of Fig. l2. after sufficient needles have passed its face. and during the passage of the long butts.

This operation of cams :2" and 2** takes placa simultaneousl.)Y with or prior lo the withdrawal of the cam 3&2. the effect ol' the cams 2 and 2 being to prevent an \v operative function of the cam 382, and said cams 2 and 2" preceding the cam 381)., the entry of slide E! will secure without further provision the restoration to knit-ting ot' the short jack needles knitting the wales containing withheld loops, and casting off at the long jack cast-off needles,

AFor knitting a stocking topor other extent of fabric on the short jack needles only. cams 2 and 2" are left in the position shown in Fig. 12. At the end of the'desired quantity of fabric on the short jack needles only. cams 2 and 2" ma then be ositioned during the passage o the long utts as shown in Fig. 13, preparatory to running olf the end of the long butt series, and the withdrawal of saidcams to the position of Fig. 6 at the ensuing passage of the short butts. When cam 2 is in use. it will be understood that all of the needles having butts in reach of its surface are depressed, including such as have shore jacks, but such needles are nausea j again raised at apex 367 of' the upper jack groove 365. To permit the free movement 0f jacks jl, the depression 368 is formed in groove 365 at the location of cam While I have described alternate needles provided with jacks respectively controlled by grooves 364 and 365, it will he understood t iat the arrangement of jacks is changeable to produce desired variations inthe fabric. Some of the needles, for instance, might not he provided with jacks, thereby permitting cam 2 to withhold loops on these needles while casting olf on the long-jack needles; or the long and short jacks might alternate in groups ot' two or more. or otherwise be arranged with reference to the desired operati-in obtainable by moving cam 382 and slide :f at independent predetermined times.

Neither is my invention limited to an alternate arrangement of long and short jacks. llaving separated the jacks into two independently actuated series, l am still enabled to provide jacks of different kinds in one or both of said series, to thereby further separate the needles for any desired purpose. lsuch as their different actuation at the supplemental cams 2" or 2582. for example to take out of action during subsequent knitting some only ofi the `needles engaged in knittingl the welt fabric.

For instance. as shown in Fig. 1T jacks f" of intermediate length` see Fig. l5. may be supplied in the upper groove 385 at the location of recurrent needles. such as every fourth needle. needles on each side of the needles with the medium length jacks being'. supplied with short jacks jl. and the intervening needles being supplied with long jacks having butts working;r in the groove ltil.

rlhe medium jacksl jJ are of such a length as lo cause the needles moved by them at the apex 36T to be carried above the caln- Ill. Needles. supplied with such jacks are therefore ever-active, their jacks inevitably taking them into the knitting cams. whatever the. position of the supplemental cams Tt. 2 and 382.

'th cam 3&2 in, alternate plied with jacks j* ma)v be passed beneath the stitch cams to withhold their loops, or stand out of the series lin-st given varn to form a set-up or selvagty course or make a ine'of draw-stitches. Saidpeam 382 may therefore be operated with respect to the short-jack needles, to permit all of the needles to take yarn, or to withdraw the short jack needles, movement of the cam occurring as described in stages permitting entrance and exit at the beginning and'end of the long butt series of needles.

By operation of slide Q, the needles with long jacks j are either permitted to knit or caused to cast. oft'. The particular arrangement illustrated in Fig. 17 as an instance of needles sup- .so i

many variations of distribution of jacks of three lengths, is such as to enable a selvage to be begun on the long jack and medium jack needles, together constituting half of all the needles, arranged alternately with short jack needles making up the remainder. A second course can be knit on allthe needles by withdrawing earn 382, and may be confined to one round of the needles only by the use of cam 2", as describedin connection with Figs. 6 to 13 above; a Welt may thereafter be knit on the long jack and medium jack needles; a uniting course may be formed on all the needles, and locking f fabric then knit on the needles employed in the welt, the short jack needles holding their loops (cam 382 then being in operation); and the long jack needles may then be operated to drop their stitches, to Stand out of the subsequent fabric so long as cam slide 2 remains in its active position.

It is obvious that long jacks may be supplied to obtain any desired drop stitch arrangement. For the particular purpose of providing an alternation of needles forselvaging or welting, every alternate needle being provided with a short jack in groove 365 either a long or a medium jack may be supplied for any remaining needles, thus to control thc location at alternate Wales in the fabric of solid knitting or drop-stitch wales capable of being begun and ended at any point in the fabric.

The devices for supporting and operating cams 382 and cam slide 2 may be broadly the same as those disclosed and claimed in my said application Serial No. 766,401, coinprising a-bracket'19 fastened on bed plate D having slideWays formed therein for slide 2 and for cam 382, spring plungers (not shown) tending tohold said slide and said cam outward. Bracket 19 also 'provides a bearing boss for a pivct screw 488 and lever 487 in contact at one end with cam 382 and at the other end with 'a cam 485 on one of the thrust-bars 460. Asimilar bearing boss is provided on bracket- 19 for pivot screw 21 and lever 20, taking at one end against slide 2 and at the other end against a cam 25 attached toan additional thrust-bar 26 having a sliding bearing in a plate 28 attached to bracket 19.

The thrust-bars 460 and 26, as shown in Fig. 3, rest at their lower ends against a pattern surface such as drum 120 rotatable on stud shaft 76, as by gearing 121, 122, 123 from a main pattern shaft 80. Drum 120 is 'also capable of being moved in time with the passage of particular parts of the needle carrier 260 atthe supplemental cams by an auxiliarypawling` mechanism 431, 432 actuated by a cam 430 on main shaft 32. This auxiliary pawling mechanism is rendered active VWhenever the shaft has advanced teeth 434 into range of pawl 432, whereupon drum 120 is moved intermittently forward during certain quadrants onl of the rotary motion of cylinder 260, such as when the middle of the long butt needles and the middle of the short butt needles are opposite cams 382, 2 and 2", the pattern surface 120 remaining at rest during the absage of remaining segments of the need es,

The timely movements of cam 382 and slide 2b for any 0f the purposes above described as illustrative instances, with relation to the times of operation of the remain ing knitting devices are controlled by the form and position on drum 120 of replaceable cams 507 for actuating the thrust-bar 460 moving cam 382, and of replaceable cams 517 for actuating the thrust-bar 26 for moving slide 2.

Fig. 5 shows a typical set of indications carried by drum 120 for coperation with the supplemental cams as described in connection with Fig. 4 to make a stocking of the kind shown and claimed in my said Patent No. 1,113,166, comprisin beside cams 507 and 517 a ring of cams 500 or operatin mechanism for the local control of stitci length and a device for closing the yarnfee ing gap in latclrring 550; a cam 501 for operating' a slicing yarn guide; cams 502, 503, 504, and 505 for operating other yarn guides; cams 506 for operating clamp and cutter mechanism 601; cams 508 for a yarntake-np device, cams 509 for operating switch cam 415 and picker 680; and cams 511, 512, 513 and 516 for controlling the stitch-length at various parts of the fabric. In order to operate slide 2 as explained vin connection with Figs. 6 to 13, a cam 517 Fig. 19 having steps for adjusting slide 2 to positions ll and III of Fig. 4 may be preceded by a cam 517a lower than either step, to move said slide to the. position shown in Fig. 7.

A preferred type of jack is illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15, tiose jacks y" and j* for the upper groove 365 having operating1 butts in .the middle of their lengt i and beve ed lower ends, to enable the jacks to straddle the widest open space in the cam ring against which their faces may be thrown centrifugally. Contact of the' jacks with the smooth inner face of the cam-ring is Sullicicnt to retain them in the need1e-groovcs, which they fill when in place.

To provide access to the jacks for changing them or removing broken parts, as shown in Figs. 1 and 18, cam ring 271 is cut away at 27 2 to receive a. segmental gate '26 through which grooves 364- and 365 ext-end. Said gate 26 is provided with a. flange 27 attached b v hold-down screws 28 to flange 270 of ring 271. The cut at 272 extends outward to enable gate 2C to be moved outward upon releasing screws 28, to disenga e the )ack butts, leaving the gate free to be lfted away.

When-the machine is employed for mak-1 ing and ejecting a succession of articles. a stationary friction device for causing the free end of the article to twist and remain central of the cylinder 2G() and column -350 is useful to prevent the article clinging at th 1 needles when cast off. A convenient form of this device is illustrated in Fig. 2 at 405, comprising a tubnlar sleeve extending upward within the needle cylinder and without. the forming fabric, said sleeve being supporte by an arm 400 fast to the column 280, but I may employ for thisA purpose the device comprising a relative-ly fixed arm such as 406 extending upward within the needle cylinder, as also disclosed in my said application Serial No. 766,401.

To cooperate with needles which are returned to action after a season of idleness, such as the needles having long jacks j, when said needles are restored to action b v the removal of cam 2", I provide a brush latch opener for needles advancing alongr the incline 5, as indicated at 425 in Figs. 10 and 17. .Such a latch opener may be the same` as that disclosed and claimed in my applica tion Serial No. 845,845 filed June 1S. 15114.

It will be observed that by the aid of the devices described in connection with Figs. to 13. sections of fabric for instance such as welt fabric knit op alternate needles` and a following section such as body fabric knit on the intervening needles. are begun and ended at the region of thc leading longr butt needle nl, the device ,of the elongated cam 2" enabling one or more courses or any nmltiple thereof'to be knit with any adjustment or arrangement of idle and operative needles permitted by cam 382 and the cams 2 and 2.

It` will also be observed that the welt fabric, or any other desired section of fabric may be knit .upon a. series of needles altei nating with the series of needles employed for knitting a following section of the fabric, thereby making each of said sections of the same number of needle Wales, the following section of fabric havin needle wales cornsponding to sinker Wa es of the preceding section.

that I claim is: 4

1. A knitting machine havin needles' and means for knitting an extent o fabric at re-l current needles during retention of loops at intervening needles, in combination with means for casting ott' the loops at'said recurrent needles during retention of |the fabric at said interveningneedles.

2. A knitting machine having needles and `means for knitting fabric at recurrent needles thereof only, acting to cause intervening needles n ot to knit during formation of said fabric, in combination with means for casting o' said fabric from said recurrent needles, means for causin said intervening needles to retain the fa Tio when 1t afweet is cast off of said recurrent needles, and means for knitting on said intervening needles in continuation of the fabric retained by them, whereby to form a fabric or article having sections respectively knit on different intercalated series of the same needles.

3. A knittingmachine having latch needles. stitch cams, and means for separating the needles into two or more inter Ialated series. said means acting on one of said series only to clear their latches and means for causing another of said series normally to enter the stitch cams to knit, in combination with means adjustable to cause said first mentioned series to knit or to cast ott' at the stitch cams.

4. A knitting machine having needles. stitch cams, means for separating the needles into two or more intercalated series. adapted to cause both of said series normally to enter the stitch cams to knit, in combination with means operative at predetermined times on the needles of one of said series after their separation to canse the needles of said series to knit or to cast off,

5. A knitting machine having needles, stitch cams, yarn feeding means, and means for separating the needles into tivo or more in lercalated series, means operative at predetcrmined times to cause one of said series to enter the stitch cams to knit or to pass the. stitch camsl while retaining their loops, in combination with means to cause the other series to knit or to cast off at predetermined times.

fi. knitting machine having needles aml means for knitting a welt on recurrent needles only during the retention of withheld loops on other needles. in combination with means for casting the fabric from needles engaged in knitting the welt, and means for knitting fabric on said other needles during retirement from operative movement of said recurrent needles.

7. A knitting machine having needles and means for knitting a predetermined extent of fabric for a welt. at recurrent needles during retention of withheld loops at other needles, in combination with means for knitting a uniting course and means for subsequently casting olf the loops at said recurrent needles during retention of the fabric at said other needles.

S. A knitting machine having needles and means for knitting fabric for a Weltat recurrent needles duringretention of withheld loops at other needles, in combination with means for knittin .a uniting course atsaid recurrent and sai other needles, means for knitting locking fabric at and for casting oif the loops from said recurrent needles, during retention of the fabric at said other needles, and means for knitting attached fabric at said other needles.

9. knitting niarhine having needles and means l'or knitting at reellrrent needles only during retention ot' loops` at other needles in eoniliination with nieans acting thereafter to knit on all the needles. and nieaiis for sidisequentliv easting ntlA the loops at .said reelir rent needles. and means for thereafter knitting attailied t'aliric at' said other needles only.

1t). knitting machine having needles and means tor knitting a seli'iige strnctnre on the liare needles comprising a device l'or causing the yarn to he taken at successive conrscs h v recurrent needles aiiil by all the needles respectively. in coiiihination with iiieans t'or knitting at said recnrrent iii-edles and means for casting ott the loops t'roin said recurrent needles. the faliric heing re tained t'or lnrther knitting at said otliei' iii-edles.

1l. A knitting niaehinc having independent` needles. a stitch eani adapted to zii'tnate all ot' the needles to knit when the needles are noiniallli7 positionei'l` iiieans for separating the needles from their nornial position into intercalated dillerentlv positioned si'- l'ies, means l'or cansing each ot' :i plilrzilit)y ol' said separated series at` predeterniined times to knitF or to pass beneath thi` stitch cani withont knitting. and means t'or casting ott' the stitehes olone of said series,

12. i'\ knitting liiachine having independent iii-edles. stitch cams. Ivaro t'ecdingnieans, aiiil means t'or separating the needles into two or more intercalatcd series, iiieaiis niovalile. to canse one of said series either to enter the stitch canis to knit. orto pass the stitch rains withont. taking new yarn. in coniliination with means inovahle to canse the other series to knit or to cast otf.

12. i\ knitting iiiaifliiiie haring needles and stiteh cams, and means for predeterniining ilidiqipelidenl ly the. operation ol' series of said needles interealated :inning each other roniprisin,"r independently inovalile jacks. acta ating means t'or independently moving inA tcrealated series ot' liacks and their needles. and means cooperating willi the independently positioned needles to :anse their dit'- ferent aetnatinn.

14. A knitting machine having hitch needles7 stitch cams, and moans for retnrning all the needles therein to the saine norniiil position at each eonrse knit, in eoinlii` nation with means adapted to separate the needles into series, means for determining the passage into tlie stitch canis or' into an idle cani-patti ot' eachV of said series independently, alid means adapted to clear the lati-lies of one of said series of needles prior to entrance ot tho needles into the idle Cainpath, whereby to enlise the needles of said series to drop their stitehes.

l5. 1n a knitting 1nacliine.needles and independently movable jacks, actuating means for separately moving different; series of jacks to differently position their needles and cani nieehiinisni having ditl'erent operating paths for the ilitlerently positioned needles.

tt'i. ln a knitting machine means for separating for dit'erent operation series of needles intercalat'ed among each other oniprising independentl \Y movable jacks, means for actuating series of jacks intercalated among each other independently, and supplemental fain mechanism coiiperatiing differently with the series of needles separated h v the operation of said actuating means.

1T. A cani ring for an independent needle knitting machine comprising stitch cams and a plurality ot' Cam grooves for the actuation ot' needle positioning jacks, said ram grooves ha ving active portions at ditl'erent: circnintferential positions.

18. A knitting machine having in combination a needle carrier, independent needles, a cani ring and stitch Cams thereon, independently movable needle jacks for the needles having operatingr hntts at ditlerent distain-es l'roni their needle engaging portions, anil .-i plurality ot' cam grooves in said cani ring t'or moving to di'erent positions dift'erent series ot' said jacks and the needles operated thereby.

19. A knitting machine having in combination stitch cams, a needle carrier and needles. nieiins for vertically separating the needles into inter alated series` and a snpplonientiil eani device operating on one or inore ot said separated series ahead of the stitch cams comprising a needle i'lepressingV nieinhe and a following needle advaneing menilier, and means fi advancing some ot' the needles a't'ter their passage of said depressing iminlier anil separating means into eontiact with said advancing member.

tL A knitting maehiiie haring independently movable hitch needles and knitting cams therefor comprising stitch cams and iiieans for retaining needles between sneees- -sive passages ofthe stitch-cams at a position in which their latehes are not eleared tlirongh the prerioiis loops. in combination with means foi-selectively advancing rertain of said needles to clear their latches in advance ot' the stitch eams, means movable. into and ont of Contact with the said needles and other needles for depressing them to take a patti beneath the stitch Canis. and means for restoring said other needles to position to enter the stitch cams.

21. A knitting machine having stiteh cams, independent needles, and means for holdin said needles between passages of the stitelgil cams at the tnek position` in combination with means acting ahead ot' the stitch cams to advance and clear the latches of recurrent; needles. a supplemental depressing cam for depressing all of the needles to take an idle path beneath the stitch cams, and means to restore certain depressed needles only to position to enter the stitch cams.'

22. A knitting machinel having stitch cams, independent needles, and means for holding said needles between passages ot' the stitch cams at the tuck position, in combination with means acting ahead ot' the stitch cams to advance and clear the latches of recurrent needles, a supplemental depressing cam for depressing all of the needles to take an idle path beneath the stitch cams, means to restore certain depressed needles only to position to enter the stitch cams, and an independently adjustable supplemental cam or causing needles in a normal position to take said idle path.

23. In a knitting machine, the combination with latch needles of stitch cams yarn feeding means and means for selectively clearing the latches of recurrent needles only acting ahead of the stitch cams, a movable depressing cam for retiring said recurrent needles without taking new yarn, whereby said needles may be caused to cast their loops, or to enter the stitch cams and knit, and a device for positioning intervening needles either to knlt or to pass the stitchcams without contact With the new yarn while retaining their loops.

2l. A knitting machine having in combination needles, a stitch cam and means for selectively causing certain of the needles to knit at the stitch cam or to pass beneath said stitch cam without knitting comprising a supplemental camdevice having separated needle advancing and needle depressing members, and means coacting with certain of the needles only to move them through the space between said members to cause their entry into the the stitch cams.

25. A knitting machine having in combination needles arranged in series having operating butts of different length, a stitch cam and means for selectively causing certain of the needles to knit at the stitch cam or to pass thc stitch cam without knitting comprising a supplemental cam dcvice hav ing separated needle advancing and nccdlcl depressing members, means for advancing said cam device into contact with the needles in a plurality of stages whereby the cam is positioned first to act on thc leading needle of a series having longer butts. and means acting on certain of thc nccdlcs only to move them through thc sparc bctwccn said |ncmbcrs when said cam dcviml is in operative position.

21'. A knitting machine having in combination nccdlcs arranged in scrios having operating bulls oi' dill'crcnl lengths. a stitch cam, a supplemental depressing cam, and means for entering said depressing cam durf ing the passage ol needles having shorter butts to first encounter and move needles having longer butts` means to independently advance some of thc needles only, and means comprising a depressing cam. an advancing cam and devices to movc said latter cam to tirst contact with a series ot' needles independently advanced having longer butts,

thereby to remove them from contact with /s'aid first mentioned cam.

27. A knitting machine having-a needle carrier and needles therein having butts of different. lengths, a supplemental cam device for determining the position of one or more intercalated series of said needles comprising a depressing member and an advancing member, movable with respect to said carrier, one ot' said members heilig fixed with respect to the other member and nearer said carrier in all positions, in combination with means for moving certain otthe needles from a depressed position into contact with said advancing member and means for moving said cam device to engage om` of said members only with needles having longer butts.

28. In a knitting machine having devices :for starting knitting on the bare needles, a needle cylinder, and a device for maintaining the forming end of a new section of fabric in a central position in said cylinder comprising means to twist the fabric.

29. In a knitting machine, a needle cylinder, and a devicei for maintaining thc fabric in a central position in said cylinder comprising means within said cylinder, and means to cause relative rotation of said means and said cylinder, whereby to twist the forming fabric.

30. In n knitting machine having devices for starting knitting on thc bare needles, a needle cylinder,

ing the fabric in a central position in said cylinder comprising a tube extending within said cylinder and means to support said tube, said tube and cylinder being relatively movable whereby the forming fabric i's twisted by its friction with said tube.

ill. ln a circular knitting machine having nccdlcs. means acting lo separate the needles into ditl'erent series, devices for knitting longitudinally successive fa'bric sections on (be dill'crcnt .srrics ol' said needles, and means l'or bcginning and ending said sections of fabric at prcilelzcrlnincd courses in thc same a ljaccnt nccdlo wales.

32. A circular knitting machine having needles and dcviccs for separating the necdlcs and for knitting longitudinally successive sections of fabric respectively on dif t'crcnt intcrcalatcd sets ol said nccdlcs. in combination with means for beginning knitting on each set at adjacent needles.

33. A knitting machine, having in combi nation needles, and means adapted antomatically to knit on intercalated series of and a dcvicc for maintainneedles in succession connected sections of name to this spocification in the 'presence of gtlaln fabxlc each oontammg the same num two subscribing Wltnesses.

r of knit wales one section having needle HUBERT W. SCOTT. 4Wales corresponding to sinker wales of a Witnesses: 6 Sucoeeding section. MARGARET T. GOOD,

In testlmony whereof, I have signed my WM. J. HAGERTY. 

